Era of Madness

Rusty recorder

Again and again, despite the screams of pain of Nova-C-8394, and the numerous projectiles that were exploding on its body, Harry continued to command the Nova beast to crash full strength against the magnetic barrier. With each clash, as well as with each time a rocket or a missile was reaching its target, the parts of Nova-C-8394's body that were affected by the attack turned to an etheral smoke-like state, before reforming a few seconds after the impact. The effect of those multiple crashes and explosions on the irreal-looking creature were akin to the effect of the swing of a bat on a smoke cloud, causing close to zero harm. 

The beast once again clashed against the barrier, causing yet another shockwave that resonated through the entire terminal, making the numerous soldiers grabbing their heads from the insupportable noise. Even director Arsin, who was in the farther part of the terminal, grabbed his head in pain, on the edge of fainting. Even John and Erica had to use the spatial ship's function to isolate it from exterior sounds so as to not hear it. 

At the same moment, they noticed that Harry was wearing noise-cancelling headphones. 

"Of course he is... else he would've already fainted and fell off the Nova beast's back" John thought.

All those events must've really weakened his focus.

At the same time, a small object rang in Penny's pocket. She took it out, and saw it was an old, rusty recorded, one that must've dated from at least the twenty-second century. The android girl immediatly recognized it: it was one of the few gifts her dad still had from his dead wife, one that he would've never left away.

But then... why did he sneak it in her pocket?

At the same time, a loud pained groan echoed inside of the ship. Both Erica, John and Penny turned toward the source of the noise. After some seconds, they started to hear heavy and irregular footsteps that grew closer and closer, until they finally saw a weak, pale Tyler entering the piloting room of the ship, his right shoulder still bleeding lightly.

"What... did I... miss?" he muttered, seemingly barely conscious.

"You mean beside an occasion to take a break in one of the few occasions you actually deserved it?" Erica ridiculed. "Eh, not much, you missed Penny and Harry's arrival on the big glitching bird"

"I already regret my choice..."

Interruting their bickering, the recorder suddenly started to play one of the messages recorded in it:

<<Hey little peanut, hey crazy lads, hip, in case you are listening to this right now, this message is for you. If it's not you, you can still listen I guess, I don't really care since I probably won't be there anymore in that case... except of course if you're Enry Arsin, Glenn Keters or anybody working with them. Then go, hip, fuck yourself.>> Harry harsh voice said, coming from the recorder. <<Hehe, even when recording, I'm still bragging... anyway, let's cut to the point>>

John and Erica would have liked to listen to the record attentively, however that was the moment chosen by the ennemy floating ships to start attacking them again: past the shock of Nova-C-8394's first apparition, they quickly understood that wasting their efforts trying to take down the phenix-like beast wasn't the best strategy. The same went for Harry, temporarily in an invulnerable position as he was firmly settled on its back.

Thus, they came back to their original, and primary objective: taking down the Cifer terrorists.

Cursing, John and Erica engaged the battle again, this time focusing on buying time rather than trying to find the breach in the magnetic field. Meanwhile, despite the installations of the ship that prevented the inside from being shaken, Tyler still staggered, and Penny helped him take a seat.